Bowling pin setting machine



March 27, 1956 H. M. DOWD EIAL 2,739,813

BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE Original Filed April 15, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet l NVEN+EIRSI H. M. DOWD ET AL BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE March 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 15, 1949 .INVENI'EI RS 6 Sheets-She et 3 INVEN+EJRSI muz zdw AH" s- Am h H. M. DOWD ET AL.

BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE March 27, 1956 Original Filed April 15, 1949 March 27, 1956 H. M. DOWD ETAL 2,739,813

BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE Original Filed April 15, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 MarCh 1956 H. M. DOWD ET AL 2,739,813

BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE Original Filed April 15, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENIEIRS:

nugwz w ggog March 27, 1956 H. M. DOWD ET AL BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE Original Filed April 15, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE Howard M. Dowd, South Acton, and Royal L. Barrows, Salem, Mass, assignors to Bowl-Mor Company, lno, Everett, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 15, 1949, Serial No. 37,646. Divided and this application December 22, 1950, Serial No. 202,312

9 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) Our present invention relates to machines for setting pins in bowling alleys and has for its particular object a simple, eflicient machine which will operate more rapidly than machines as heretofore constructed. In the machine embodying our invention the actual pin setting takes place in a very few seconds after which the bowling can take place. The necessity of a pin-boy is completely eliminated.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 87,646, filed April 15, 1949, for Bowling Pin Setting Machine, now abandoned.

For the machine embodying our invention three sets of pins are preferably employed. When the machine is stopped after the pins have been set, one set of pins is in place on the alley, a second set is in conduits or troughs, known as the discharge station, ready to be put in place on the alley, and the third set is in the pin collector or reservoir, known as the reserve station, ready to move forward to take the place of the set of pins in the troughs. The several mechanisms comprising the machine are operated by electric motors, current to which is controlled by control circuits, switches and relays so that the successive movements of the groups of elements follow each other in proper sequence.

In using the apparatus, the pin setting is entirely automatic but is controlled by the bowler. Whenever the bowler is ready to have the pins set up, for instance after rolling one to three balls as the case may be, he presses a button, the alley and gutters are swept of deadwood and balls, the pins are set while a barrier or curtain is lowred to protect the apparatus from a ball bowled at the wrong time, the curtain or barrier and pin-setting tubes lifted, the pins in the reservoir advanced and the reservoir refilled so that everything is then ready for the next setting of pins. After the bowling is completed, the bowler presses the button again and the machine repeats the operation. In practice, the pin setting takes less time than is usually required to put up the previous score and for the bowler to take his place for the next ball, so that the pin setting delays the bowling little, if any.

The apparatus embodying our invention is much simpler than pin-setting machines as heretofore constructed,

but it operates with extreme rapidity and accuracy and requires no attention under ordinary circumstances. When set there is nothing to interfere in any way with the fall of the pins or with their balance.

In the accompanying drawings and description we have shown our invention as adapted for use with candlepins, as that is the form in which we have actually embodied our invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, partly in diagram, of a bowling alley equipped with a pin-setting machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3;

2,?39,8l3 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 General arrangement of the machine The machine is constructed so that it sweeps the deadwood and balls from the alley and gutters and transfers the pins one-by-one to a pin collector or reservoir A capable of holding a complete set of pins. After the reservoir has been filled, the complete set of ten pins is discharged into troughs constituting a discharge station E which lead to vertically movable pin-setting tubes one of which is over each pin position on the alley, but the set of pins is held in the troughs at the discharge station E until the proper time when the entire set is discharged into the pin setting tubes.

The machine is provided with sweeper rods 20 carried by endless belts or chains 21 which sweep the deadwood and balls from the alley floor 22 and gutters 23 onto a turntable 24. From the turntable the balls are carried up by an elevator 26 to be delivered in the usual ball return 27, and at the same time the pins are carried up by a conveyor 28 and deposited in a series of pockets 31 (Figs. 2,

4 and 7) in a pin reservoir or collector A, and known asthe reserve station. From this, at the proper time, all ten pins are ejected into ten inclined conduits or troughs 34. At the lower ends of these troughs, or discharge station B the pins are stopped from further progress by vertically slidable tubes 35 which are above the ten pin positions on the alley, and whose upper ends at this time project into the path of the pins in the troughs. When the vertical tubes 35 are lowered into contact with the alley (Fig. 8) the pins are released and are guided by funnels 36 into the tubes 35 through which they fall into position on the alley. After this the tubes 35 are again raised, another set of pins is ejected from the reservoir A and slides to the discharge station B at the lower ends of the troughs 34, and a third set of pins is brought oneby-one by the conveyor 28 and deposited in the reservoir, after which the machine, exclusive of the turntable 24 and the ball elevator 26, comes to a stop. At this time one set of pins is in place on the alley, another set is at the lower end of the troughs 34, and the third set is in the pockets of the reservoir A. The sweeper 2%, the turntable 24, and the conveyor 28, together constitute transfer means by which the pins are taken from the alley and deposited in the pin reservoir A, or reserve station while the troughs 34, funnels 36 and tubes 35 together constitute conduits through which the pins pass from the reservoir or reserve station A to the discharge station B and thence to their positions on the alley.

Each of the gutters 2 3 is provided with an upwardly inclined projection (Figs. 1 and 2) located somewhat nearer the bowler than the sweeper. When a ball is bowled into the gutter 23 it strikes the inclined projection 160 and jumps into the air clearing any deadwood in or projecting over the edge of the alley so no standing pins will be knocked down or moved by pins which have already fallen into the gutter.

The alley sweeper-Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 The alley sweeper comprises two endless chains 21 passing over sprockets 38 on shafts 39, one of which, indicated at 39a, provides the driving connection between said chains. The endless chains carry two transverse sweeper rods 20. The lower runs 21a of the chains are slightly above the level of the floor of the alley and are arranged to move from front to rear as indicated by the arrow in Fig. l. The upper runs 21!; are located at a level slightly below the tops of the pins standing on the alley and one of the sweeper rods 26 is provided with projections or flaps 37 at each end which extend down into the gutters 23 when the rods are travelling along the surface of the alley toward the pit as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig (and see Fig. 3). The alley sweeper is driven by a sprocket 40 on the shaft 39a. The sprocket 40 is engaged by an endless chain 41 which runs over another sprocket 42 on a shaft 13 which is rotated by the sweeper motor M1 through a worm 14, worrn wheel 15, and bevel gears 16. The rear sweeper rod 20 carries a cam 7 (Figs. 1 and 9) which operates a switch 6 and shuts oif the power to the motor M1 as will be described hereafter.

In operation the sweeper rods 20 first travel along the upper run moving toward the bowling end and in so doing knock down any standing pins. The rods then pass down to about the surface of the alley and travel toward the pit, thus removing all deadwood from the alley while the projections 37 on the ends of the sweeper rod clear the gutters.

The turntableFigs. 1, 3, 3a and 4 After the balls and deadwood have been swept from the alley 22 and gutters 23, they pass down an incline 43 onto a revolving turntable 24. This turntable rotates continuously and with a peripheral speed sufficient to cause the balls and pins to roll at once to the edge of the turntable 24 and against the peripheral enclosing wall 180. The turntable is mounted on a vertical shaft 36 and revolves in a clockwise direction, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3. The underside of the turntable 24 is engaged by a friction wheel 44 which is secured to one end of the shaft 45 of the motor M5.

The pin conveyor 28 is located at one side of the turntable 24 and has an open side adjacent the edge of the turntable so that the pins can roll from the edge of the turntable into the conveyor. Placed slightly above the surface of the turntable is a fixed guide or finger 49 which is supported by an upright 50. This finger extends into the path of the pins on the edge of the turntable, and its inclined side 49a guides the pins into the conveyor. The finger 49 is also provided with a kicker in the shape of a bell crank, one arm 51 of which extends toward the center of the turntable. The other arm 52 normally lies in the plane of the side 49a of the finger. If a pin P1 becomes jammed at the entrance of the elevator, as shown in Fig. 3:1, by the force of a following pin P2 another pin P3 or a ball strikes the arm 51 of the kicker, moving the arm 52 thereof. This pushes the pin P1 out of contact with the pin P2 and into the conveyor.

The ball return system-Figs. l 3 and 6 At a point further around the circumference of the turntable 24 than the location of the finger 49 is a trough 25 which leads to the ball elevator 26. The entrance to the trough 25 is so constructed that the balls B are thrown by centrifugal force into it. The ball elevator consists of two endless chains 53-53 running over sprockets 58 the lower pair of which is secured to the shaft 48 driven by the motor M6. The chains 5353 are connected by a series of cross bars 54 which travel in paths spaced from a back plate 55. The halls roll down the inclined way 25 until they come to rest against the back plate 55 after which they are-engaged and carried upward by the cross bars 54 until they strike a lip 56 which forces them outwardly from the back plate into contact with a leaf spring 57 (Fig. 6). This spring is bent by the ball and when the ball reaches a point above the top of the back plate the spring-pushes the ball 4 into the ball return 27 by which the balls are carried to the bowling position, not shown.

Pin conveyor, pin reservoir and eject0r Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 The pin conveyor 28 forming part of the transfer means includes two endless chains 60-60 arranged to run over sprockets 61 to form a vertical run 17 and a horizontal run 29. One pair of the sprockets 61 is secured to the shaft 62 of the motor M4. A back plate 63 is located adjacent the vertical run of the chains 60-60,

and at the top is provided with an inturned flange 63a.

The two endless chains fill-60 are connected by a series of cross bars 64. The pins roll down the inclined way 65 until they come to rest against the back plate 63 after which they are engaged and carried upward by the cross bars 64. When the pins arrive at the top of the back plate 63 the flange 63a directs them into the pin reservoir A.

The pin reservoir A is provided with ten pockets 31 formed by partitions 66 and rollers 67 which form the bottoms of the pockets and on which the pins P rest. The partitions 66 extend down only to about the level of the centers of the pins P so that a space is left between the bottoms of the partitions and the tops of the rollers 67. When a pin P arrives at the top of the back plate 63 and the flange 63a thereof directs it into the pin reservoir A, the bars 64 of the horizontal run 29 of the conveyor 28 carry the pin along over the top of the reservoir until the pin reaches a vacant pocket 31 into which it falls. Succeeding pins fall into empty pockets until all the pockets are filled, whereupon the conveyor motor M4 is automatically stopped as will be hereinafter described.

The ejector for the pin reservoir A is composed of two endless chains 68 connected by an ejector bar 73. These chains pass over sprockets 69 driven by the shaft 71 of the pin ejector motor M3. The two endless chains 68 are so located that the upper run brings the ejector bar 73 in line with the space under the partitions 66 and above the rollers 67 at the bottom of the pockets 31. Accordingly, as the ejector bar 73 moves to the left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 7 it passes through the space under the partitions 66 and pushes the ten pins in the pockets of the pin reservoir A simultaneously out of the pockets and intro the troughs 34 previously referred to. Under the pocket 31a at the extreme left of the pin reservoir A as viewed in Fig. 4, which is the last pocket to be filled is a switch in which is closed by the downward pressure of the pin whenever there is a pin in this pocket. As explained below, ejector bar 73 cannot be operated until switch m is closed, and pin conveyor motor M4 operates as long as switch m is open. There is also a switch 1:, the contact arm of which is in the path of the ejector bar 73 by which this switch is opened to stop the motor M3 when the ejector bar has completed its cycle of movement.

Pin supply and setting mcchanism-Figs. 1, 2 and 8 Above each of the several pin positions in the alley is a vertically slidable pin-setting tube 35 which can be raised and lowered in proper time with other parts of the machine. These tubes 35 are open at both ends. The tubes are guided in a horizontal frame 77 located high enough above the tops of the pins on the alley so that it, or the ends of the tubes, will not be injured by flying pins or balls. Funnels 36, one for each tube 35, are supported on the frame 77. A series of inclined troughs 34 extend from the pin reservoir A to the tops of the funnels. The bottoms of these troughs 34 are formed by rollers 78 so that, when the pins are ejected from the reservoir by the ejector bar 73, the pins coast down the troughs to the discharge station 13 where their further movement is stopped by contact with the pinsetting tubes 35 which at this time are in raised position. When the pin-setting tubes 35 are lowered-to bring them into contact with the alley and their upper ends have snaasts reached a point below the pins in the troughs 34, the pins are released and then slide down into the funnels 36 where they are up-ended and. guided into the pin-setting tubes 35 down which they pass to pin-setting positions on the alley as shown in Fig. 8.

Beneath the lower ends of at least two of the troughs 34 are switches h and in position to be engaged by pins resting against the tubes 35. The contact arms of the switches are depressed and the switch it is held open whenever there is a pin in its trough while the other switch 0 is held closed as long as there is a pin in its trough. As described in more detail below the switch it operates the ejector bar when the pin reservoir or reservoir station A is filled with pins and when switch in is closed; and switch 0 prevents the motor M2 from operating the pin setting tubes 35 unless there is a set of pins in the discharge station B ready to be delivered to the pinsetting tubes 35 for positioning on the alley.

Tube raising and lowering mechanismFigs. 1, 2 and 8 At the bottom of each tube 35 there is a lug 79 to which is secured a cable 80 passing over a pulley 81 and thence to a drum 82 to which it is secured and around which it wraps. The drum 82 is mounted horizontally in bearings 83 at each side of the frame 77 and is located forward of certain of the cables 80 and behind others. Accordingly the cables in front of the drum pass over the top of the drum while those behind the drum pass first around the bottom. The drum 82 is rotated first in one direction and then in the other by reversing mechanism which will now be described.

The motor M2 carries a sprocket 84 on which is a chain passing over a sprocket 85 on a longitudinal shaft 86 which carries a worm 87. This worm meshes with a worm gear 88 on a cross shaft 89 which carries a crank arm 90. At the other end of the shaft 89 is a cam T7 in the path of the arm of a switch e. The crank 99 has attached at one end a chain or cable $5, the other end of which wraps around and is fastened to a sprocket or wheel 99 on a jack shaft 100. This jack shaft carries a sprocket 101 around which passes an endless chain 102 which also passes around a sprocket 1&3 on the end of the shaft 29 of the drum 82. Assuming that the tubes are in raised position and the motor M2 is running, the tubes will descend into pin-setting position and, since their weight is substantial, will hold down the attached cables 80 and cause the drum 82 to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 8. The rotation of the drum 82 and the attached sprocket 103 moves the chain 192 and consequently rotates the sprocket 101 in clockwise direction and, therefore, winds up the chain or cable 93 on the wheel 101.

The mechanism is arranged and timed so that the tubes contact with the alley slightly before the crank 98 is in line with the cable 98 as indicated in Fig. 8. Continued movement by the motor M2 moves the crank until it comes in line with the cable and then after passing the dead center it soon begins to pull on the cable. By this arrangement the tubes are allowed to rest on the alley momentarily to give time for the pins to settle down after any vibration resulting from the fall of the pins and the tubes are then raised.

To protect the apparatus in case a ball should be bowled or thrown at the wrong time, we also provide a curtain or barrier W which is raised and lowered in unison with the raising and lowering of the tubes. This is accomplished by two cables 104 which extend from the top of the barrier through eyes 105 and 136 to the top of the drum 82 around which they are wound. When the drum is rotated to lower the tubes, it allows the cables 104 to unwind and the barrier W to drop, and when the tubes are raised, the cables are wound up on the drum 32 and the barrier raised.

Electrical operating and control system Since it is essential that the several groups of mechanism operate in definite relation with respect to each other, we provide an electric operating and control system which makes the operation of the machine entirely automatic. This system includes six motors, M1 known as the sweeper motor since it operates the sweeper bars, M2 the tube-operating motor, M3 which operates the pin ejector for the pin reservoir, M4 which operates the pin conveyor, M5 which operates the turntable and M6 which operates the ball elevator. The system also includes a series of relays and control switches.

The main power circuit is indicated in heavy lines at 112. This circuit supplies power to the six motors M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6 and by a transformer T supplies current for the secondary circuits indicated in lighter lines in Figs. 1 and 9. The motors M5 and M6 are in parallel in the main power circuit while the power circuits to the motors M1, M2, M3 and M4 pass through relays R1, R2, R3 and R4. The main switch is indicated at S. It may ordinarily be located at the desk of the person who controls the alley.

The drawings show three sets of pins circulating through the machine simultaneously. One set is on the alley ready for the bowler, another set is in the reservoir or reservoir station A and another set is in the discharge station B resting in the troughs 3-4 against the tubes 35 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this condition the switch 0 is closed and the switch it opened by the pins P4 and P5 respectively in the troughs under which these switches are located. Switch in is closed by the pin P6 in the pin reservoir compartment under which it is located. Switch 2 is also closed.

When the main switch S is closed the motors M5 and M6 are started to operate the turntable and ball elevator respectively. Also the coil 123 of relay R3 is energized by the power circuit 107 through the switches e and 0 (now closed) to close the normally-open pairs of contacts 8 and 9 of this relay. Also the coil 125 of relay R4 is energized by the power circuit 108 through the switch m (now closed) to open the normally-closed pair of contacts 12 and close the normally-open pairs of contacts 10 and 11 of this relay. The control system is now ready for operation.

At b is shown a button conveniently known as the bowlers push-button. This push-button is in a secondary circuit which includes, in series therewith, the coil of relay R1 and the normally closed pair of contacts 1 of relay R2. The bowler presses this button when a set of pins is required on the alley. This energizes the coil 120 of relay R1 and closes its two normallyopen pairs of contacts 2 and 3. Closing contacts 2 completes the power circuit to motor M1 and sets the sweeper in operation to clear the alloy of all deadwood. It also completes a parallel circuit 113 to turn on a red light 114. Closing contacts 3 completes a holding-in circuit 119 which includes the switch 6 and the coil 120 of relay R1 so that releasing the bowlers button b does not shut off the power to motor M1.

The motor M1 runs until the sweeper chains 21 have made a complete circuit and the rearmo-st sweeper bar 20 carrying the cam 7 strikes the arm. of the switch 6. Operation of this switch breaks the holding-in circuit 119 to deenergize the coil 123 of the relay R1. This stops the motor M1 and puts out the red light 114. It also momentarily completes a circuit 13h which is in parallel with the circuit 1137. This excites the coil 12,2 of relay R2. This relay has the normally-closed pair of contacts 1 previously referred to, and two normallyopen pairs of contacts 4 and 5, When the coil of the relay is excited, the closing of contacts 4 completes the power circuit 1 1-1 through the contacts 9 (now closed) of relay R3 to start the motor M2 and, through a parallel circuit 117, to turn on the red light 118. Closing the contacts 5, completes a holding-in circuit 131 through the switch e (now closed). This circuit which is also in parallel with the circuit 107 keeps the coil 122 of relay R2 energized to keep the tube-operating motor M2 supplied with power until the switch e is opened by the cam 97 at which time the holding-in circuit 131 is broken and the coil 122 of relay R2 deenergized. This stops motor M2 with the tubes 35 in their highest position.

When the tubes 35 have been lowered by the motor M2 sufficiently to bring their upper ends below the pins in the troughs 34, the pins slide into the funnels 36 as shown in Fig. 8, and thence into the open upper ends of the tubes 35 to be deposited on the alley. When the pin P4 slides off the switch and permits this switch to open, a circuit 109 through the contacts :3 (now closed) of relay R3 and in parallel with the circuit it continues the supply of power to the motor M2. The tubes are then raised to their highest position at which time the motor M2 is stopped when the circuit 131 is disrupted as described. This also puts out the red light 118 to indicate that play may be resumed at this point in the operation of the machine.

Pin P5 (Figs. 2 and 9), which is another of the pins in the troughs 34, slides off the switch I: and thus permits this switch to close. This completes a circuit 132 through the contacts 10 (now closed) of relay R4 to start the pin-ejector motor M3 which then operates the pin-ejector bar 73 to eject the pins from the pin reser voir A. A holding-in circuit 133 through the closed contacts 11 of relay R4 and the switch It (now closed because the pin-ejector bar 73 has moved away from this switch) keeps the coil 125 of relay R4 energized to supply the motor M3 with power until the switch It is opened at the completion of the pin-ejecting cycle. When the coil 1'35 of relay Rd is thus deenergized it permits the contacts 12 of this relay to close and thus complete a circuit 134 to start the motor Md which then operates the pin conveyor until the pin reservoir A is refilled with pins the last one of which closes the switch in and operates the relay R4 to again open the contacts 12 of this relay and stop the motor M4.

With reference to the motor M2 which operates the pin-setting tubes 35, the power circuit to this motor cannot be initially completed unless the switch 0 is closed. This switch is closed only when there is a set of pins in the troughs 34. Thus the pin-setting tubes 35 cannot be operated unless there is a set of pins ready to be delivered to the tubes and thence deposited on the alley.

While the present embodiment of our invention shows three sets of pins in continuous circulation, one or two sets or even more than three sets may be run through the machine with equal facility,

We claim:

1. In a bowling pin setting machine and in combination, a horizontal pin reservoir extending transversely of the alley comprising ten horizontal open-ended pockets for pins extending longitudinally of the alley, and a pin ejector comprising two endless chains located respectively at the sides of the reservoir with the upper runs of the chains on a level with the pins in the reservoir, an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other across the reservoir in position to engage the pins in the pockets, and motor means to move the chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward and thereby eject the pins.

2. In a bowling pin setting machine, a stationary horizonal pin reservoir extending transversely of the alley and having separate open ended pockets for holding a complete set of pins, said pin pockets extending longitudinally of the alley, a conveyor for distributing the pins to the pin reservoir comprising two endless chains having a vertical and a horizontal run, power means for operating the pin conveyor, :1 switch for stopping the pin conveyor when the pin reservoir is filled, and a pin ejector comprising two endless chains located respectively at the sides of the pin reservoir with the upper runs of the chains on a level with the pins in the reservoir, an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other across the reservoir in position to engage the pins in the pockets and power means to move the chains in a direction to carry the ejector'bar forward and thereby eject the pins.

3. In a bowling pin setting machine, a stationary horizontal pin reservoir extending transversely of the alley and having separate open ended pockets for holding a complete set of pins, said pin pockets extending longitudinally of the alley, a conveyor for distributing the pins to the pin reservoir comprising two endless chains having a vertical and a horizontal run, power means for operating the pin conveyor, a switch for stopping the pin conveyor when the pin reservoir is filled, and a pin ejector comprising two endless chains located respectively at the sides of the pin reservoir with. the upper runs of the chains on a level with the pins in the reservoir, an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other across the reservoir in position to engage the pins in the pockets and power means to move the chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward and thereby eject the pins, a switch for stopping movement of the ejector bar after one cycle of operation.

4. in a pin setting machine for bowling alleys, a horizontal pin reservoir mounted above and extending transversely of the alley, said reservoir having a plurality of parallel compartments each extending longitudinally of the alley for holding a complete set of pins longitudinally of the alley, a conveyor for distributing pins to the pin reservoir, power means for operating the pin conveyor, switch means for stopping the pin conveyor when the pin reservoir is filled, a pin ejector comprising two endless chains located respectively at the sides of the reservoir with one run of the chains on a level with the pins in the reservoir, an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other across the reservoir in position to engage the pins in said compartments, motor means for moving the chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward and thereby eject the pins from said compartments, and switch means for stopping movement of the ejector after one operation.

5. In a bowling pin setting machine for bowling alleys, a horizontal pin reservoir mounted above and extending transversely of the alley, said pin reservoir having separate pockets for holding a complete set of pins, said pin pockets extending longitudinally of the alley, a conveyor for distributing pins to the pin reservoir comprising two endless chains carrying transverse rods for engaging the pins, said endless chains having a vertical run from the alley to said horizontal pin reservoir, power means for operating said pin conveyor, a switch for stopping the pin conveyor when the pin reservoir is filled, a pin ejector comprising two endless chains located respectively at the sides of the reservoir, said endless chains having a horizontal r-un, an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other across the reservoir in position to engage the pins in said compartments, motor means for moving the chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward and thereby eject the pins from said compartment, and switch means for stopping movement of the ejector after one operation.

6. in a bowling pin setting machine disposed at the end of a bowling alley, the combination comprising a horizontal pin reservoir extending transversely of and mounted above the alley, said reservoir having a plurality of individual compartments each extending longitudinally of the alley for holding a complete set of pins in longitudinal alignment with the alley, conveyor means for removing pins from the alley and delivering said pins to said pin reservoir, said conveyor means including a vertical run from the alley to said reservoir, said pin conveyor being adapted to deliver successive pins to suecessive compartments of said pin reservoir, electrically powered means for operating said pin conveyor, first switch means connected in the supply circuit of said pin conveyor operating means, means for actuating said switch to interrupt the supply circuit of said pin 0on veyor operating means when all of the compartments of said pin reservoir are filled, an ejector for ejecting the pins from the compartments of said pin reservoir, said ejector comprising a pair of endless chains located respectively at the sides of said reservoir and an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other in position to engage the pins in the compartments of said reservoir, electrically powered means for moving the chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward to eject the pins from said reservoir, second switch means connected in the power circuit of said ejector operating means, and means for actuating said second switch means during operation of said ejector means to terminate operation of said ejector after one cycle of operation.

7. In a bowling pin setting machine disposed at the end of a bowling alley, the combination comprising a horizontal pin reservoir mounted above and extending transversely of the alley, said reservoir having a plurality of parallel compartments located at the same vertical level for holding a complete set of pins, said compartments each extending longitudinally of the alley, said compartments being defined by a plurality of parallel partitions and means positioned below and spaced from said partitions for supporting pins between said partitions, an ejector for ejecting pins from the compartments of said pin reservoir, said ejector comprising a pair of endless chains located respectively at the sides of the reservoir and an ejector bar extending from one chain to the other in position to engage the pins in the compartments of said reservoir, and electrically powered means for moving said chains in a direction to carry the ejector bar forward to eject the pins from said reservoir.

8. The combination defined by claim 7, further including conveyor means movable over said compartments transversely thereof for supplying pins to said compartments.

9. The combination of claim 7, further including conveyor means for supplying pins to said compartments, said conveyor means comprising-an endless conveyor having a horizontal run and a vertical run, said horizontal run extending over said compartments, said vertical run being located at one side of the alley and extending upward from the alley to said horizontal run, whereby to pick up pins at a lower level and deliver them to said compartments one by one by way of said horizontal run.

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